038 Leviticus 8 – 10; Hebrews 4.1 – 5.10
A little review for stimulation: Genesis is the book of beginnings as in, the creation account, the human race, and then the record of God stepping in to give the promise to Abraham--all the nations will be blessed through you. Genesis begins with, "In the beginning God..." and in the book of John these words are found "In the beginning there was the Word..." John does not give the account of Christ's birth as the other Gospel writers. John wants the record to show just how long Christ had been around. The theme for John is found in John 20:31 which states, " But these are written in order that you may believe that Christ is the Son of God, and that by believing you may have eternal life." John was writing to bring people to faith in Christ.
We now find ourselves in the book of Leviticus which underscores that God is holy. In the book of Hebrews it is argued with eloquence that Christ is better. Jesus Christ is a better priest, He is a better prophet, and yes, He is a better sacrifice. Jesus is better than any thing that came before him and is better that any thing that could come after him. Leviticus opens our eyes to the function of the priest, and the sacrifices they offered on behalf of God's people. What was happening in Leviticus was only a foreshadowing of what was to come in the real person of Jesus.
To illustrate that God meant business about His holiness and how to worship Him you have to go no further than pg. 189 where the par. is entitled Nadab and Abihu. How is this for a tombstone heading, "they died in God's presence."? It sounds great until you read the whole account that they offered "strange" fire to God. Fire from God then consumed them. Who were these renegade priests? Why they were none other than the sons of Aaron.
What is interesting is Moses talking to his sons. Nadab and Abihu were cousins to Moses sons but Moses says to them, ‘do not mourn them lest you die…’ and then Moses gave them more instructions. What happened? They did just as Moses said; Motivated!
God wants us to live and thrive in His presence. However, in some cases people die because of their disobedience. Choose this day to live in His presence. Invite His Spirit in to instruct you and to help you yield to His grace.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Friday, February 6, 2009
037 Friday, February 6, 2009
037 Leviticus 4 – 7; Hebrews 2 - 3
What can wash away my sin? Once you are aware that you have sin in your life, what do you do? Beat yourself up, beat up someone else, rationalize it, deny it, transfer it--what do you do? Sin is a nasty problem. There are so many sins, even the unintentional sins--God "gets it" that we may not know that we have sinned and will bring those things to our awareness when the time is right. What we need to focus our attention on is the sins that we are aware of. What are the sins that you are aware of right now?
What can wash away my sin? By now you have noticed there is a lot of blood in the O.T.--blood of bulls, goats, lambs. Even pigeons are used to pay for sin--to make atonement for what has been done wrong. Do you see? Somebody has to pay! There are only two kinds of religions in the world. There is the "self-atonement" religion and the "God-pays-for-our-sin" religion. The self-pay plan does not work. Why? How many sacrifices or good works does it take to pay for the wrong? Who sets the standard? When you read Leviticus keep in mind that God was teaching that a sacrifice was needed. This O.T. "payment plan" (animal sacrifice) was not the real thing. It was an illustration, a shadow of the real sacrifice that Jesus would provide with His own body. No animal sacrifice could be sufficient. God is setting the standard and the price to be paid for the wrongs that have been committed.
What can wash away my sin? The answer is nothing but the blood of Jesus. Modern people say Christianity is a bloody religion. They are right that it is bloody. The truth is somebody has to pay. Thank God that in Christ Jesus the debt has been paid and we have been set free from the penalty of sin and are being set free from the power of sin.
Be set free today. If we confess our sin he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteous. 1 John1:9
What can wash away my sin? Once you are aware that you have sin in your life, what do you do? Beat yourself up, beat up someone else, rationalize it, deny it, transfer it--what do you do? Sin is a nasty problem. There are so many sins, even the unintentional sins--God "gets it" that we may not know that we have sinned and will bring those things to our awareness when the time is right. What we need to focus our attention on is the sins that we are aware of. What are the sins that you are aware of right now?
What can wash away my sin? By now you have noticed there is a lot of blood in the O.T.--blood of bulls, goats, lambs. Even pigeons are used to pay for sin--to make atonement for what has been done wrong. Do you see? Somebody has to pay! There are only two kinds of religions in the world. There is the "self-atonement" religion and the "God-pays-for-our-sin" religion. The self-pay plan does not work. Why? How many sacrifices or good works does it take to pay for the wrong? Who sets the standard? When you read Leviticus keep in mind that God was teaching that a sacrifice was needed. This O.T. "payment plan" (animal sacrifice) was not the real thing. It was an illustration, a shadow of the real sacrifice that Jesus would provide with His own body. No animal sacrifice could be sufficient. God is setting the standard and the price to be paid for the wrongs that have been committed.
What can wash away my sin? The answer is nothing but the blood of Jesus. Modern people say Christianity is a bloody religion. They are right that it is bloody. The truth is somebody has to pay. Thank God that in Christ Jesus the debt has been paid and we have been set free from the penalty of sin and are being set free from the power of sin.
Be set free today. If we confess our sin he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteous. 1 John1:9
Thursday, February 5, 2009
036 Thursday, February 5, 2009
036 Leviticus 1 – 3; Hebrews 1
God is serious about change. Israel had lived for years in Egypt and now they’re free, but not free to do as they wished. Israel needed to heed what God desired for them. When you read Leviticus you have to keep in mind that the Lord had not yet laid down any boundaries for His people. In order for them to be His people they had to be holy. God gives the provisions on how to live with a holy God. In the first few chapters God instructs them on the different offerings that are to be brought before Him through the priests. These offerings are to acknowledge who God is. The whole burnt offering is perhaps the most solemn of all offerings as it symbolized worship in the full sense. The Peace offering was used to promote peace with God. God is telling His people what He expects from them.
For the New Testament reading we are in the book of Hebrews whose theme is “better.” All that God did in the Mosaic covenant and part of that is in the book of Leviticus is good, but what Christ has done is better. In the O.T. you have to keep sacrificing but now Christ has once and for all died for us and there is no need for any more sacrifices. The book of Hebrews really lifts up the person and work of Christ in relationship to the O.T. God expects us in this day and age to live for Christ with our whole heart. God expects us to change just as He expected His people to change in the book of Leviticus.
God is serious about change. Israel had lived for years in Egypt and now they’re free, but not free to do as they wished. Israel needed to heed what God desired for them. When you read Leviticus you have to keep in mind that the Lord had not yet laid down any boundaries for His people. In order for them to be His people they had to be holy. God gives the provisions on how to live with a holy God. In the first few chapters God instructs them on the different offerings that are to be brought before Him through the priests. These offerings are to acknowledge who God is. The whole burnt offering is perhaps the most solemn of all offerings as it symbolized worship in the full sense. The Peace offering was used to promote peace with God. God is telling His people what He expects from them.
For the New Testament reading we are in the book of Hebrews whose theme is “better.” All that God did in the Mosaic covenant and part of that is in the book of Leviticus is good, but what Christ has done is better. In the O.T. you have to keep sacrificing but now Christ has once and for all died for us and there is no need for any more sacrifices. The book of Hebrews really lifts up the person and work of Christ in relationship to the O.T. God expects us in this day and age to live for Christ with our whole heart. God expects us to change just as He expected His people to change in the book of Leviticus.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
034 Tuesday, February 3, 2009
034 Exodus 38 – 40; John 21
The people of Israel did what “God had commanded Moses.” Four times on pg. 170 we find those words. They are great words of an astonishing feat. These people came together and made something they had never seen for a God they are just becoming reacquainted with after 430 years. They completed the work and then handed it over to Moses.
Moses had some things he had to do inside the meeting place. The bible says, "Moses finished the work." The very next paragraph we read that "The cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the Glory of God filled the Dwelling." God used His presence to guide His people. Read that paragraph carefully and you get a beautiful picture of our Shepherd, God.
God still uses His presence to guide us. It is the Spirit of God who lives inside us. God wants to walk with Him, not ahead of Him. We must keep in step with His Spirit. For today it is prayer that we stay in touch with His presence.
May you be guided by His presence today.
The people of Israel did what “God had commanded Moses.” Four times on pg. 170 we find those words. They are great words of an astonishing feat. These people came together and made something they had never seen for a God they are just becoming reacquainted with after 430 years. They completed the work and then handed it over to Moses.
Moses had some things he had to do inside the meeting place. The bible says, "Moses finished the work." The very next paragraph we read that "The cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the Glory of God filled the Dwelling." God used His presence to guide His people. Read that paragraph carefully and you get a beautiful picture of our Shepherd, God.
God still uses His presence to guide us. It is the Spirit of God who lives inside us. God wants to walk with Him, not ahead of Him. We must keep in step with His Spirit. For today it is prayer that we stay in touch with His presence.
May you be guided by His presence today.
Monday, February 2, 2009
033 Monday, February 2, 2009
033 Exodus 35 – 37; 20.19 – 20.31
“They came, both men and women, all the willing spirits among them, offering brooches, earrings, rings, necklaces--anything made of gold---offering up their gold jewelry to God.” (pg.164, top left). What had happened to these people that they would so willingly hand over their precious possessions? It began with Moses going to the mountain to meet with God and then reporting what God wants done. In the paragraph before this one we see the people leaving Moses presence and it says, "...everyone whose heart was roused," it was they who were bringing the offerings to the Lord.
The people were to build a place of worship to Yahweh. When you read how the people were working together you can't help but to pray, "may it be so in our day." It is an inspiring story of working toward a common and very worthy goal. It is seeing leadership at its best and followership at its peak. All the different skill sets it took to pull this job off is mind boggling and humbling--no one person has all the gifts and talents. We are truly better together.
Has your heart been roused? Has your heart been stirred? Is your spirit responsive to His Spirit? It's a good day to serve the Lord; to serve the Lord makes any day a good day.
Ask God to stir your heart. Ask God to help make your heart responsive to His Spirit.
To my God, a heart of flame; to my fellowmen, a heart of love; to myself, a heart of steel.
- St. Augustine
“They came, both men and women, all the willing spirits among them, offering brooches, earrings, rings, necklaces--anything made of gold---offering up their gold jewelry to God.” (pg.164, top left). What had happened to these people that they would so willingly hand over their precious possessions? It began with Moses going to the mountain to meet with God and then reporting what God wants done. In the paragraph before this one we see the people leaving Moses presence and it says, "...everyone whose heart was roused," it was they who were bringing the offerings to the Lord.
The people were to build a place of worship to Yahweh. When you read how the people were working together you can't help but to pray, "may it be so in our day." It is an inspiring story of working toward a common and very worthy goal. It is seeing leadership at its best and followership at its peak. All the different skill sets it took to pull this job off is mind boggling and humbling--no one person has all the gifts and talents. We are truly better together.
Has your heart been roused? Has your heart been stirred? Is your spirit responsive to His Spirit? It's a good day to serve the Lord; to serve the Lord makes any day a good day.
Ask God to stir your heart. Ask God to help make your heart responsive to His Spirit.
To my God, a heart of flame; to my fellowmen, a heart of love; to myself, a heart of steel.
- St. Augustine
Sunday, February 1, 2009
032 Sunday, February 1, 2009
032 Exodus 32 – 34; John 20.1 – 20.18
Do you live by faith? Do you? Really now, do you live by faith and not by sight? Tough question to answer. Perhaps you would say that most of the time, or to be honest, I struggle in this area. I have heard some comment that in some areas, like finances, they live by faith, but would struggle with applying faith to raising their children.
Three times Israel had promised God that they would obey Him. Those times are recorded in Ex.19:8, 24:3, 7,and 20:19. Peter said, “I will never deny you Lord,” but he did three times. Notice how the scriptures start out, "When the people realized that Moses was taking forever in the coming down off the Mountain they rallied around Aaron and said, “Do something. Make gods for us who will lead us.”" In Ex.32:21,30-32, the Bible makes it clear that this was a great sin against God. Do you live by faith?
Moses, God's representative, was out of sight and after forty days they needed to see something. So, they made something to see. What do you look to, God, or _____________________,then you would have to fill in the blank.
God so yearns to reveal Himself to us and then, hopefully we will grow in our faith. Your prayer could be, “God manifest to me your presence and workings in this world. Amen.”
Do you live by faith? Do you? Really now, do you live by faith and not by sight? Tough question to answer. Perhaps you would say that most of the time, or to be honest, I struggle in this area. I have heard some comment that in some areas, like finances, they live by faith, but would struggle with applying faith to raising their children.
Three times Israel had promised God that they would obey Him. Those times are recorded in Ex.19:8, 24:3, 7,and 20:19. Peter said, “I will never deny you Lord,” but he did three times. Notice how the scriptures start out, "When the people realized that Moses was taking forever in the coming down off the Mountain they rallied around Aaron and said, “Do something. Make gods for us who will lead us.”" In Ex.32:21,30-32, the Bible makes it clear that this was a great sin against God. Do you live by faith?
Moses, God's representative, was out of sight and after forty days they needed to see something. So, they made something to see. What do you look to, God, or _____________________,then you would have to fill in the blank.
God so yearns to reveal Himself to us and then, hopefully we will grow in our faith. Your prayer could be, “God manifest to me your presence and workings in this world. Amen.”
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